Development of Silviculture. 63 



in the commons or openings at Martini (November) 

 or Mitfasten (Easter) and cover them with thorn 

 brush" (to protect them against cattle). 



About that time it was, indeed, incumbent on every 

 marker to sow annually five oaks, or plant several 

 young seedlings for every tree cut and to tend them 

 a few years; and the custom existed in the low country, 

 afterwards (1700) introduced by law in Saxony 

 to plant in celebration of certain occurrences a kind 

 of arborday especially to celebrate the marriage day; 

 in order to be married the bridegroom had to prove 

 that he had planted a certain number of oaks, which 

 in Prussia (1719) had to be six, besides six fruit trees. 

 The existence of this custom, now long forgotten, has 

 given rise in the United States to the story that this 

 is the method by which the German forest is main- 

 tained. 



The method of collecting and keeping acorns over 

 winter was well known in 1579, as is evidenced by 

 the Hohenlohe Forest Ordinance, which advised fall 

 sowing, but, if that did not prove successful, to pre- 

 pare the ground in summer, leave it through the 

 winter and sow in the spring. 



While, in earlier times, sowing seems to have had 

 the preference, at a later period planting was practiced, 

 at first with wildings, but as early as 1603 we find 

 mention of oak nurseries. 



The Prussian Order of 1720 ordered the foresters 

 to plant oaks in the openings before Christmas, for 

 which they were to be paid, if the trees were found 

 alive after three years. The growing and culture of 

 oak also interested Frederick the Great, who ordered 



